June 29, 2024
WESTMINSTER, Colo — The Colorado summer temperatures may have been unforgiving, the blasting wind even more so, but none of that compared to the heat that Team 16u Canada was throwing down in the second game of its Triple Crown International Challenge on Friday afternoon at Christopher Fields.
After flattening Team USA with a 10-2 final in the earlier contest, the Leafs came out firing on all cylinders against Team Mexico and utilized a fiery fourth inning to propel them to a 7-3 victory. Rylee Ruppel, who hails from Vancouver, began that frame with a leadoff home run over the right-centerfield fence.
She finished her day with two hits, two runs and an RBI to light up her stat sheet just two days before she turns 16. Madiason Jungers added her own bomb just a few at-bats later, this time driving in three runs, to give Canada a 7-2 cushion heading into the bottom of the fifth.
Starting pitcher Emma Frisky handed the Leafs their first two RBI of the day a couple innings earlier with her own moonshot. Ruppel returned to Colorado for her second year to play in the TCIC.
“(Our bats) came out super hot today. We clutched in a lot of positions and we got those runs when we needed to,” Ruppel said. “It's just all the different teams from all over the country. Everyone's always cheering super loud, super fun, always positive. It's all great teams. Everyone's super energetic and always loud and it's just super fun to play in that atmosphere.”
Each year, the international teams are made up mostly of American players, each of whom have to have a parent or grandparent who’s a citizen of the country they’re representing. Ruppel and Frisky, who’s from Saskatchewan, chose to make the trip across the border to join in on the fun ahead of the Colorado 4th of July tournament next week.
“The chance to represent my country has always been a dream of mine,” Frisky said. “Having this opportunity and having this atmosphere with similar girls who love the sport as much as I do was a great opportunity.”
Frisky pitched the first three innings, giving up just three hits and two earned runs, while pulling double duty in the batter’s box. There, she recorded two hits, two runs and two RBI.
“Even when I'm throwing, knowing my D has my back, putting my trust in them, that allows me to throw all the pitches I want,” she said. “Having that trust in each other and gelling, it makes the game a lot more fun and when we're having fun, we're loose, and that's when good things start to happen.”
Team Mexico made one last stand in the top of the sixth inning, driving in one more run by way of a Mia Negrete double, but Canada’s defense proved too tough to overcome. The Leafs, now 2-0, will look to keep the ball rolling when they take on Team Philippines at 9:45 a.m. on Saturday.
Head coach Lee Giroux has coached the tournament for several years and knows what it takes to win.
“What has to happen with these teams to be successful is they have to bond,” he said. “They have to come together as a team. You may have individuals that are top players on their team, but when they come here, they're playing with other players that are top players on their team. What I've found over the years is that the team that bonds the quickest usually becomes more successful.”
